Nanomaterials have supported important technological advances due to their unique properties and their applicability in various fields, such as biomedicine, catalysis, environment, energy, and electronics. This has triggered a tremendous increase in their demand. In turn, materials scientists have sought facile methods to produce nanomaterials of desired features, i.e., morphology, composition, colloidal stability, and surface chemistry, as these determine the targeted application. The advent of photoprocesses has enabled the easy, fast, scalable, and cost- and energy-effective production of metallic nanoparticles of controlled properties without the use of harmful reagents or sophisticated equipment. Herein, we overview the synthesis of gold and silver nanoparticles via photochemical routes. We extensively discuss the effect of varying the experimental parameters, such as the pH, exposure time, and source of irradiation, the use or not of reductants and surfactants, reagents’ nature and concentration, on the outcomes of these noble nanoparticles, namely, their size, shape, and colloidal stability. The hypothetical mechanisms that govern these green processes are discussed whenever available. Finally, we mention their applications and insights for future developments.

Bacterial life is a combination of two lifestyles, mobile and social. In the social lifestyle, cells are usually embedded in a self‐produced matrix and attached to biotic or abiotic surfaces. These communities can be organized as either single or multilayered structures termed biofilms. Biofilms evolved to cope with the harsh environmental conditions that bacteria encounter within the host, mostly from the host’s defence response. In plant pathogenic bacteria, biofilms participate in the whole process of pathogenicity, from the first step of invasion to the full colonization of plant tissues. The specific role that biofilms play in the pathogenicity process of plant bacterial pathogens is poorly understood. In this review, the role of biofilms in the pathogenic process of major vascular plant pathogens is examined. In addition, quorum sensing signals and components that are essential for biofilm formation and therefore, for pathogenesis, are addressed. Although, in certain systems, further research is required, experimental evidence in the literature indicates that biofilms are, in most cases, essential for pathogenesis.

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Plant fibers possess high strength, high fracture toughness and elasticity, and have proven useful because of their diversity, versatility, renewability, and sustainability. For biomedical applications, these natural fibers have been used as reinforcement for biocomposites to infer these hybrid biomaterials mechanical characteristics, such as stiffness, strength, and durability. The reinforced hybrid composites have been tested in structural and semi-structural biodevices for potential applications in orthopedics, prosthesis, tissue engineering, and wound dressings. This review introduces plant fibers, their properties and factors impacting them, in addition to their applications. Then, it discusses different methodologies used to prepare hybrid composites based on these widespread, renewable fibers and the unique properties that the obtained biomaterials possess. It also examines several examples of hybrid composites and their biomedical applications. Finally, the findings are summed up and some thoughts for future developments are provided. Overall, the focus of the present review lies in analyzing the design, requirements, and performance, and future developments of hybrid composites based on plant fibers.